Weekly Study Guide April 23, 2017 Wish to view the message again? Go to vimeo.com/gracepeoplemn. Will you be out of town soon? Watch online at livestream.com/gracepeople. Desire to ask Pastor Steve a question about today’s message? Contact him at 651.429.5349 x215 or
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Daily Readings Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Revelation 1:1-8
Revelation 1:9-20
Revelation 2:1-17
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Revelation 2:18-28
Revelation 3:1-13
Revelation 3:14-22
Regular habits of private Bible reading strengthen our relationship with God and teach us how to follow Jesus. In addition to the thematic exercise above, you can use this guide each week to lead you through relevant sections of the Bible.
Group Discussion Guide CONNECT What are your initial reactions to studying the book of Revelation? Have you had any previous experiences with Revelation?
LEARN AND APPLY The book of Revelation is a letter, like most other “books” in the New Testament. We can think of it as being similar to other letters such as Romans, Galatians, and the Corinthian letters. •
What do you need to know or do if you want to understand a letter written to somebody else?
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Since ancient times, Christians have regarded this letter as Scripture for the whole church, not just its original recipients (again, similar to other New Testament letters). What do we have in common with the original audience that makes this a letter for us even if it wasn’t originally to us?
In worship this week we learned a little about the seven church communities to whom Revelation was originally addressed. We learned to understand their struggles in three categories: affliction, complacency, and compromise. Let’s practice reading what Jesus says to them in those circumstances. •
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Read the words to an afflicted church community in Smyrna in Revelation 2:8-11. »»
What does Jesus say to encourage them?
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What commands or admonitions does Jesus speak?
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What hope does he offer them?
Read the words to a compromised church community in Ephesus in Revelation 2:1-7. »»
What does Jesus say about their situation?
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What commands or admonitions does Jesus speak?
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What hope does he offer them?
Read the words to a complacent church community in Sardis in Revelation 3:1-6. »»
What does Jesus say to critique them?
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What commands or admonitions does Jesus speak?
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What hope does he offer them?
In worship this week, we considered which of these contexts is most like our own. •
Which do you think describes your, or our situation, the best - complacent (faithfulness to Jesus is just really not a priority), compromised (struggling between the values of Jesus and the values of the world), or afflicted (devoted to Jesus and suffering because of it)?
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What response do you think Jesus is asking for in these circumstances?
PRAY AND APPLY In your prayers this week, pray for these two things: for insight and clarity; to know how Jesus is encouraging faith in your circumstances, and for any Christians who are suffering for their faith.
